SSCS track to be repaired

New track is needed soon

STANDISH — A new track may be in the future for the Standish-Sterling Community Schools District, but first the district must repair the surface of the track for the 2011-12 school year.

Acting Superintendent Michael Dewey said repairs need to be made to the track in order for the school to host meets during the season.

“This track is 20 years old, and has only had one resurfacing when it should have had two in that span,” he said. “We have not done it, and a resurfacing is past due, so now we are looking to make some repairs.”

The SSCS Board of Education voted unanimously to pay $6,500 for repairs to the track before winter. Dewey said the project should allow Standish-Sterling Central High School to host track meets this track season.

“These repairs will be temporary and should allow for one year of use,” he said. “If repairs were not made now, then in the springtime the track could be in worse condition following the winter months.”

Dewey said he is glad the district is making the repairs now.

“I don’t want to see a meet taken away, or worse, see a student get injured because the proper precautions were not taken,” he said. “This is just something that needs to be done.”

Dewey added that the board will have to consider replacing the track after the school year ends.

“There is an issue of the radius of the outside lane, and (Michigan High School Athletic Association) officials could take a meet away because of those issues as well,” he said. “The eighth lane is too short, and the entire track needs to be redone at this point to hopefully get another 20 years out of the track.”

Matt LeBeau, head of maintenance for SSCS, said the district will need to pave a new track at the district soon.

“The track is in such bad shape that we won’t be able to make it much longer,” he said.

It would cost the district approximately $30,000 to resurface the track, but according to LeBeau, the company that installed the track does not want to take that route.

“The asphalt needs to be taken out and a new surface needs to be poured,” he said. “It does not make any sense for us to resurface the track at this point.”